International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education (IJCRSEE)

IJCRSEE Editorial Team; Kristina Cvetković; Nataša Lazović; Jelena Krulj; Milena Vidosavljević; Jelena Opsenica Kostić

doi:10.23947/2334-8496-2025-13-1-63-73

Authors

Kristina Cvetković University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, Serbia, e-mail: kristina.randjelovic@pr.ac.rs 2State University of Novi Pazar, Department of Psychology, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9668-1634
Nataša Lazović State University of Novi Pazar, Department of Psychology, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3398-0311
Jelena Krulj University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica, Teachers’ Training Faculty in Prizren - Leposavić, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2215-8004
Milena Vidosavljević Institute of Serbian Culture Priština – Leposavić, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0731-6414
Jelena Opsenica Kostić University of Niš, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2305-4808

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23947/2334-8496-2025-13-1-63-73

Keywords:

academic media multitasking, academic achievement, GPA, media use, meta-analysis

Abstract

Academic media multitasking specifically refers to the phenomenon where students or academics divide their attention between learning-related activities, such as studying or reading scholarly material, and non-learning activities like texting friends, checking social media, or browsing unrelated websites. Studies confirm a negative correlation between media multitasking and academic achievement, with some reporting small to moderate effects or no correlation at all. This topic is particularly important today due to the pervasive use of media among younger generations and its impact on attention, focus, academic performance, and cognitive load. This meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively integrate individual correlational studies and draw general conclusions about the relationship between academic media multitasking and academic achievement. The sample comprised studies published in English scientific journals from 2010 to the present, with methodological characteristics matching the context of this analysis. A total of 11 studies were included in the final analysis. Correlation coefficients were used as a measure of effect size, with both fixed and random effects models applied to calculate the overall measure of effect size. The quality of the included studies was assessed, and potential publication bias was examined using a symmetry graph and Trim and Fill analysis. The results confirmed a low-intensity negative correlation between digital multitasking and academic achievement with a weighted average correlation coefficient of r=−0.252 (fixed effects model) and r=−0.246 (random effects model) and high heterogeneity (I² = 93.98%) among the studies, suggesting variability in the findings. The present meta-analysis also revealed high heterogeneity among the studies, suggesting variability in the findings. This heterogeneity opens avenues for exploring potential mediating relationships or covariates that impact why students engage in digital multitasking.

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